Transport entrepreneurs freed following commitments not to halt services

Transport entrepreneurs in favour of syndicate system halted the public transport services, seeking repeal of the fresh Transport Management Directives issued by the government on April 1.

Mechi Bus Entrepreneurs Association president Mohan Prasad Upreti, Hima Bus Association acting president Bhupal Oli, Sagarmatha Transport Pvt Ltd president Khagendra Upreti, director Buddha Tiwari, member Raj Kumar Pandey and Shyam Thapa and Eastern Bus Entrepreneurs Association’s president Keshab Giri were taken under control by police on Friday afternoon. They were freed this evening, District Police Office Jhapa’s police inspector Bishnu KC said.

Meanwhile, three transport entrepreneurs based in Biratnagar who were arrested by police for supporting the syndicate on Sunday morning were freed in the evening same day. They are Uttam Chaulagai, Tika Bhattarai and Narayan Adhikari.

Chaulagai and Bhattarai are associated with the East- Nepal Transport Entrepreneurs Association while Adhikari is associated with the Koshi Bus Entrepreneurs Association.

They have agreed to register transport committees under the Company Act and would not not cause obstruction to the operation of services, according to Morang’s Chief District Officer Ram Prasad Acharya. Both long and short-route public transport services have resumed here from Sunday.